Typhoon Dujuan Hits Japan: More Than 1.6 Million Urged to Evacuate as Floods and Landslides Strike
Japan is still counting the cost after Typhoon Dujuan tore through the country’s eastern coast, dumping torrential rain and whipping up powerful winds that triggered flooding and landslides around Tokyo. At the height of the storm, more than 1.6 million people were urged to leave their homes as officials warned that the rain wasn’t done yet. By Tuesday, September 22, Dujuan had pulled away from the coast and was drifting northeast over the Pacific but the danger hadn’t gone with it. Authorities were still watching swollen rivers and waterlogged hillsides, wary of what the ground itself might do next.
A Wave of Evacuations Around Tokyo
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said over 1.6 million residents across Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures were placed under evacuation advisories or orders. Most were advisories rather than strict mandates meaning people were being strongly urged, not forced, to get to safer ground. The Japan Meteorological Agency didn’t hold back on the warnings either. Oshima, in the Izu Islands, was hit with a Level 5 emergency warning, the highest level issued while several other areas sat at Level 4.
Streets Turned to Rivers
In Chiba and Kanagawa, the rain simply overwhelmed everything in its path. Streets filled with water, and it wasn’t long before it was pushing into people’s homes.
The landslides were worse. Reuters reported two confirmed deaths, with several people still unaccounted for after mudslides and flooding hit. In Yokosuka, a woman lost her life when a landslide struck her house.
Parts of the Izu Islands had already seen more than 300 millimeters of rain fall, and the JMA warned that some areas could still edge toward record-breaking totals for September.
Why the Danger Isn’t Over
Part of what makes this storm so hard to shake off is something meteorologists call a linear rain band, a narrow stretch of sky that can dump intense rain over the exact same spot for hours at a time. It’s a nasty combination: rivers rise fast, drainage systems built for ordinary storms get overwhelmed, and slopes that are already soaked can simply give way. That’s why the risk lingers even once the storm’s center has moved on the ground itself becomes the threat.
Flights Grounded, Trains Stopped, Events Called Off
The disruption reached well beyond flooded homes and roads. Japan Airlines canceled 135 flights and All Nippon Airways scrapped another 140. Train services were suspended on several lines in and around Tokyo, and thousands of households lost power, at least temporarily. Even public events couldn’t escape it, the Tokyo Game Show shut its doors early, outdoor and sporting events across China were called off, and preparations for events tied to the Asian Games in Japan were thrown off schedule.
Eyes Still on the Rivers
With Dujuan now pushing northeast and away from the coast, the immediate wind threat has eased. But officials aren’t relaxing yet rivers are still running high, and unstable slopes remain a real concern. For the communities hit hardest, the cleanup will likely stretch on well past the storm itself. Roads, power lines and homes will need repairs, and search-and-rescue teams are still working in the affected areas. Typhoons are nothing new for Japan this time of year, but the sheer scale of Dujuan’s evacuations and rainfall is a reminder of how fast a storm can turn dangerous in a place as densely packed as greater Tokyo. For now, officials have one simple message for residents: stay off flooded roads, stay away from unstable slopes, and don’t travel until it’s confirmed safe.
FAQs
1. What happened when Typhoon Dujuan hit Japan?
Typhoon Dujuan brought powerful winds, torrential rain, flooding and landslides, particularly across eastern Japan and areas around Tokyo.
2. How many people were urged to evacuate?
More than 1.6 million people were urged to evacuate in areas affected by the storm.
3. Did Typhoon Dujuan cause deaths?
Yes. At least two deaths were reported in connection with flooding and landslides, according to reports citing Japanese authorities.
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